| Â | | | | contributed to its reconstruction. Exhibition halls |
| Built in 1916 as part of the city development plan, | | | | were constructed and the Navy Pier became a |
| the Navy Pier is a mixed-purpose public | | | | lively public gathering place once again. The Navy |
| infrastructure. Primarily used for cargo facilities, | | | | Pier was renovated in the early 1990s and now |
| the pier also provided docking space for steamers | | | | houses fast food kiosks, a ballroom, concert |
| used for passenger excursions. The outermost tip | | | | stage, convention center and shops. The central |
| of the pier was used as a cool spot for public | | | | attraction is the 150-foot ferris wheel, |
| gatherings and entertainment in the pre-air | | | | complemented by an IMAX theater, the Chicago |
| conditioning days. Sometime ago, the Navy Pier | | | | Shakespeare Theater, the Smith Museum of |
| even had a streetcar and was known to be a | | | | Stained Glass Windows and the Chicago Children's |
| little lovers' getaway in the city. The Navy Pier is | | | | Museum. |
| 3300 feet in length and spreads alongside the | | | | Â |
| Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. | | | | Public art sculptures, a large animated and |
| Â | | | | interactive fountain, parks, gardens, restaurants, |
| What is commonly refereed to as the pier's | | | | shops and various passing entertainment events |
| "Golden Age", the 1950s saw the residents of | | | | lighten up the modern day Navy Pier. The most |
| Chicago gathering at the pier for a variety of | | | | popular annual attraction at the pier is the |
| events. The Navy Pier became more popular as a | | | | Venetian Night festival. The Navy Pier is set to |
| public meeting place than as a dockyard or cargo | | | | undergo more renovations soon, adding a |
| facility. The pier's true use was unveiled during | | | | monorail, spoke-less ferris wheel, roller coaster, |
| World War II, when it was used by the US Navy. | | | | floating hotel and water park. |
| This is why the pier, originally named as the | | | | Â |
| Chicago Municipal Pier, is now known as the Navy | | | | Don't forget to visit the Navy Pier when you are |
| Pier. | | | | in Chicago and if you stay at a nearby Chicago |
| Â | | | | Hotel, you just might be able to catch a few |
| It was mostly used by the University of Illinois | | | | one-time only events there. Whether you stay at |
| after the war, but once the university was | | | | a target="_blank">Downtown Chicago hotel or |
| moved to a different location, the pier was not | | | | somewhere close by, you'll certainly enjoy your |
| used for a long time. From 1965 to 1989, the pier | | | | overall experience. Try a delightful stay at the |
| was a desolate place and the city was looking to | | | | Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel Chicago , and enjoy |
| bring it down when several authoritative figures | | | | modern conveniences while you bask in luxury. |